Chattanooga – Consent Decree

The City of Chattanooga is committed to providing the best possible water quality and wastewater service to its approximately 90,000 users in the Greater Chattanooga and Northwest Georgia areas. This effort includes replacing aging infrastructure and making improvements to the system overall. The City of Chattanooga is embarking on an estimated $250 million long-range plan that includes upgrades to the City's sewer lines, the Moccasin Bend Wastewater Treatment Plant and advancements in the City's efforts to keep customers and residents well-informed in the event of a sewer spill or wastewater-related emergency.

More specifically, this effort will include:

A full evaluation of the City's operations, management and maintenance of its wastewater system.

Updates to the City's long term plan for controlling combined sewer overflows.

A series of early action capital projects in the first five years designed to address inflow and infiltration and other capacity related issues in the sewer system and improve efficiencies at the Moccasin Bend WWTP.

Inspection of sewer lines and manholes, and rehabilitation or replacement of those found to contribute to sewer overflows.

Establishment of a Green Infrastructure Plan.

Increased public notification about community outreach activities and public meetings related to the improvements as well as incidents such as sanitary sewer overflows.

An enhancement of the FOG (Fats, Oils, Grease) public education program

Additional projects with this effort include:

A stream restoration project involving a tributary of South Chickamauga Creek.

Retrofitting a portion of the Highland Park neighborhood with eco-friendly infrastructure in an effort to improve the water quality in the Dobbs Branch stream, which flows into Chattanooga Creek.

This multi-faceted plan to improve the City's wastewater system is part of our on-going commitment to our citizens as well as an agreement (also referred to as a Consent Decree) between the City of Chattanooga, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Clean Water Network.

This agreement is just the newest phase in the City's effort to upgrade its system and address the issue of sewer overflows. During the 1990's, the City spent more than $50 million on projects including inflow and infiltration upgrades, reengineering combined sewer overflow treatment facilities and expanding the Moccasin Bend Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Mission:To preserve and enhance the quality of the physical environment and infrastructure through prompt, cost effective and courteous delivery of services which protect the health, safety and welfare of citizens.